Collision
by Clearly am Intrigued
Summary: They abducted her. Tortured her. Turned her life upside down. But, they got the wrong girl. She's not Katherine. She's not a killer. She's not a terrorist.
1. Chapter 1- Q & A

disclaimer -I do not own The Vampire Diaries.

So this is my first time writing crime/espionage. I just thought I'd let you know in advance. Hmm, what else?... this story is AU/AH. And I accept critical reviews as long as it's helpful and not just story/author bashing. So enjoy… hopefully. And please review

WARNING- This chapter does contain some violence. But, you should be okay with that since you do apparently watch the Vampire Diaries.

* * *

**Chapter One: Q & A**

They found her.

After 3 months of endless leads, sleepless nights, and never-ending pressure from high up bosses they found her. They found her in a small Virginian town named Mystic Falls.

At first they weren't sure. After all it seemed too easy. A rookie mistake they were warned not to expect from her,

So they spent two weeks to make sure. To check if it wasn't some trap.

It was definitely her. So they followed her; to and from work, when she went on coffee dates with friends, whilst she was a home doing mundane tasks such as cleaning or cooking.

For two weeks they were her unseen shadow. Every phone called she made was recorded, every text/emails she sent was forwarded to their headquarters to be decrypted, every person she talked to had instant background checks. For two weeks they waited anxiously, dreading that she might bolt any second. She didn't.

At exactly 5:40 on a Wednesday evening she jogged down Nicholson, A secluded stretch of road shaded by tall pine trees.

She was grabbed from behind. Felt a sharp sting in her right arm. She was unconscious before the needle was pulled out.

* * *

Elena woke up feeling drowsy, confused and disoriented. Her head felt thick, and unnaturally slow.

"You're awake." A voice spoke. A male voice; and not one she recognized. A gripping panic began to set in as she also failed to recognize her surroundings.

She was tied to a wooden chair in the middle of a room. Her arms were pulled back so tight that it was starting to numb. The thick rope that securely wrapped her wrists together and her ankles to the leg to the chair was cutting off her circulation. Her stiff back was an indication that she had been in this position a while.

The room she was in was small, cramped, and stifling. There was a fan beating softly on the ceiling, but it did nothing to hoard off the scorching summer heat.

Her dark chocolate eyes rose to meet a pair of clear piercing blue. The man spoke to her again. In another language this time, Portuguese maybe.

He reached forward and yanked the brown duck tape off her mouth. It stung.

Who where these people? What did they want with her? Her heart beat quickened, her breathing labored her pulse raced as her mind scattered to make some sense of what was happening.

"Your name?" The raven haired man asked. Elena blinked, her eyes still adjusting to the dim lighting.

"I, uh – What?" She spoke softly, still slightly disorientated. It was a simple question, but every choice, action or word she could choose at the moment, weighed on her like a ton of bricks. After all they could be her last. _Who where these people? What could they possibly want with her? Did they know who she was?_ Her mind jumped to the worst scenarios. Horrible stories you saw on the news of young girls being abducted. She suddenly felt self conscious in the jogging shorts and tight top she was wearing.

There were two other men in the room with her. The first one, -the one who spoke to her- was probably in his mid to late twenties. His face was unreadable; his blue eyes void of emotion, his raven black hair messy and disheveled contradicted the spotless, meticulous, neatly pressed clothes he wore. The second man was taller and slightly older; late thirties-early forties, he looked tired.

"Tell us who you are. Who are you working for?" The first one, blue eyes asked.

The girl blinked slowly still looking confused and out of it. He briefly wondered for a moment if they might have been too generous with the dosage used to knock her out.

"Elena." She answered slowly, deliberately leaving out her last name. She was watched carefully, a shift in the eye, a twitch of the lips any signs of deceit or dishonesty. There were none. "Please." Elena begged. "I don't… I-"

"Do you know who we are?" She shook her head. "That's okay." The man replied. "Because we know who you are."

The coil in the pit of her stomach tightened. A shiver ran down her back.

"_Katherine_" Blue eyes, sing-songed as her head began to droop, he leaned forward so that they where eye to eye. "We know who you are Katherine. All we want are some answers."

"I just want to go home." Elena begged. She just wanted to be back in her own house. She didn't care who they were. Or what they wanted. Jeremy, her younger brother would be worried when he realized she was missing. She was the only family he had left. They couldn't just take her.

"It would be easier if you tell us the truth". He replied honestly. There was a pregnant pause as she gathered courage to ask the question that had been weighing on her.

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked. She looked so tiny, and vulnerable, frail almost, it made it almost easy to forget. But, he wasn't one to make mistakes. Katarina Petrova was a master manipulator, one whose trap he wasn't going to fall into.

"No. We're gonna make you talk." He promised. "Who do you work for?"

She paused for a second, the question catching her of guard. Elena frowned why they would want to know about her work. She took in a deep breath deciding that honesty here was the best policy.

"Carol Lockwood. I'm a business consultant. I, I work for a small business company in Virginia. I research…file papers, sit in meetings…. tell small business how to improve."

It seemed to be the wrong choice. The raven haired man stepped back and nodded to his friend. "If you're looking for ransom I don't have money. I don't have anybody who can pay. Please. I don't know who you are or what you want. But, please don't hurt me."

The older one stepped forward. He picked up a soaked sponge from a water filled bucket at her feet.

"This would be so much easier for you if co-operate." He says almost sincerely. She's co-operating, Elena thinks, how much more can she fucking co-operate. A small part of her seems to know what's coming. Her jaw tightens and her back stiffens as he presses the sponge to her to her chest.

"Who do you work for?" It a question she keeps hearing. One she can't seem to answer properly. She answers again and knows immediately that it is the wrong response. "I don't know what you want… Please. Please don't." She begs. The sponge is clipped to an electrical cord that is attached to a small black box at his feet. The older man turns the dial on the minimum setting to start with.

She can't hold back the piercing scream as what feels like a thousand volts courses through her. Her nerves fry and her entire body convulses with pain. An off switch is flicked and she can breathe again. She is given a moment to catch her breath.

"Katherine." He tutted, shaking his head in a disapproving manner.

"I don't know a Katherine." She breathes. He raises an eyebrow and smiles, a private joke he's not letting her in on.

"Really?" He asked. "How about the name Katarina Petrova, does that ring a bell?" Elena shook her head and immediately regrets it. The current hits her as a bolt of acid.

"See… We know who you are? What we want to know is your motive. What's next Kat?"

"I swear I don't know." The tears look authentic. "Please let me go."

"Tell us about Elijah Michelson." He changes the subject.

"I don't know who that is."

"You don't know your own fiancé?" He smirks.

"I don't have a fiancé"

"Am sure you don't anymore. Who do you report to?"

"No one. I … I don't" She screams so loud she's afraid she almost broke her vocal chord. Even when it's over the pain still lingers. "Please. Just let me go" She cries. It's a mantra that repeated in her head. _I don't know. Please don't hurt me. I don't know._

"You have the wrong person. I am not Katherine. My name is Elena Gilbert. I grew up in Mystic Falls. I have a younger brother, my parents died when I was sixteen. I am not this person."

"Your cover was blown so you ran." He continued "Do you seriously think we don't know you have an agenda?"

"Please… I don't- I'm not"

"Seven years. You've been Katherine Pierce for seven years. You're not going to leave this unfinished. You never do." Elena drops her head back trying to catch her breath. "It's only going to get worse. This is the first of five levels and I've got nothing but, time." It's a lie, but there's no need to tell her that. "You're good. I'll give you that." There's still no response from her part. "Elena?" He asks hoping she'll answer to that name.

"What you're doing is illegal in all 50 states." She croaks. Her comment receives a genuine laugh.

"We have a right to interrogate terrorists as we see fitting" Her head snapped up to meet him.

"I'm not a terrorist."

"Freedom fighter… Activist? Is there a difference really."

"If am a terrorist. What does that make you?" She asked. She's tired really tired. All her tears have dried up.

"Here's the thing" Damon leaned forward brushing her hair, wet from perspiration out of her face. "You are good. But, I am also very good at what I do. So it doesn't matter if it takes 10 hours or 10 days, I am going to get the truth out of you." The dial of the black box gets turned to the second level.


	2. Chapter 2- What is Truth?

Thank you to **mkittycat1 **for you review, and to all those who alerted/favourite this fic. It really means a lot.

So here's chapter two... Enjoy :) and of course please do leave a review.

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**Chapter Two - What is Truth**

Stefan pushed the door open and flicked on the light switch. He took careful steps into the small, dark room. The room was window-less, giving it a claustrophobic feel. He found their detainee lying on the cold concrete floor, her auburn hair hiding most of her face. Stefan slowly crouched down to her level. He barely touched the girl when her eyes shot open. He placed a bottle of water in front of her before standing and taking a few steps backwards. He not so subtly pulled back his jacket making sure she noticed the gun in his holster.

"I thought you might be thirsty."

After forty-eight hours on the receiving end of Damon's interrogation method, something as simple as water would be ambrosia from the gods. She stared at the bottle suspiciously, most likely wondering if the water was drugs or something. With a sigh he uncapped the bottle and drank a noticeable amount before handing it back to the small brunette. She took a careful sip, and then proceeded to drink the rest of the bottle before handing him back the empty plastic bottle. "C'mon" He nodded to the door, motioning for her to follow him. He's being lenient if it had been anybody but him, the girl would be dragged kicking and screaming against her will.

She rigidly got up and limped after him, glad to get the chance to stretch her legs. He grabbed her arms pulling her close. Stefan pressed into her hips so that she could feel the shape of the gun, a small reminder to dissuade any violent thoughts. He didn't let go of her arm as he navigated their way, down a long corridor. A right, a left, another left, she kept her head down as she quietly shuffled behind him. Finally they reached their destination.

Stefan opened the door to what was a typical interrogation room. The room had dull gray walls, a single wide white table with two chairs on opposing sides, and one-sided mirror with an awaiting audience on the other side. He motioned for her to take a seat before closing the door. He chucked the now scrunched plastic bottle in the rubbish. On the table was the takeout he had ordered earlier. He halved the food, handing over her half and sat chair facing the opposite way to the one-sided mirror.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I ordered Chinese." He tuck into his food, knowing that eventually she would do the same. There was only so long a person can go without eating. She pushed back her chair, a confused expression on her face.

"So you're the good cop?" She asked, as she slowly twirled her chopsticks around her finger.

He gave a small tight lip smile.

"I suppose you could say that." He waited until she finished eating her Chow Mein before getting to business. He slipped on his earpiece, turning his head and giving a short nod to the mirror behind him.

"So… Katherine?" He noticed her flinch at that name. "That's right. I heard you don't go by that name anymore." She remained quiet, tapping her chopsticks on the now empty carton in front of her. "Why don't we start at the beginning?" The chopsticks continued it's drumming. "Or wherever you want to start, middle or End." She continued tapping. Stefan leaned forward. "Look, Right now, you're looking at the death penalty. If you co-operate maybe we can get that to a life sentence."

"I can't help you." She raised her head, brown eyes staring him straight at him for once. "I can't help you because I'm not Katherine. You have the wrong person I'm innocent."

**"_Scans say she's telling the truth."_ **He heard over the earpiece. Stefan's jaw tightened before he relaxed and leaned back in his chair.

"Who are you then?" He asked.

"Elena Gilbert." She paused, dropping the chopsticks on the table. "I haven't even heard the name Katherine until you guys."

**"_Truth"_** Bonnie's voice spoke in his earpiece. "Is that so?" Stefan mused.

The olive-skinned brunette leaned forward all doe-eyed. "I'm telling the truth I'm innocent. Make me sit a lie detector or whatever, I- I am telling the truth."

"Lie detectors can easily be fooled." Her face deflated, as she dropped her head defeated. She absently rubbed her wrist at the chaffed, rope-burnt skin. Damon had already gone through this she was sticking to her story. So he decided to take a different approach. "Okay." He decided. "Tell me about Elena Gilbert."

* * *

Damon Salvatore stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Behind the glass panel of the one-sided mirror was an even bigger room than the one Stefan now occupied. Damon turned to the dark-skinned woman beside him.

"She's good." Bonnie Bennet said, swivelling in her chair to face him. "She has no tell. She's making eye contact, her body language is open, no change in tone of voice. The machine keeps saying she's telling the truth."

The room was bustling with more than a dozen of the best and brightest, each of whom had keypads at their fingertips. Damon frowned, they had caught her. But, the second part of the deal was proving more difficult. He seethed, A few more moments with him and they would have had her talking. He thought as he watched Stefan and the girl.

"Get me everything you have on Elena Gilbert." Damon said, addressing. Behind them they could all hear the Petrova girl continued talking unable to hear them through the sound proof room.

Multiple screens began to fill with information.

Graduated from Mystic Falls, Birth certificate, parking tickets, the girl even had frequent Facebook updates.

It wasn't proof though documents could always be forged. Katherine Pierce herself proved that. They hadn't known who she was until it was too late. The woman was a threat to the United States, and to anyone she came in contact with.

"I want you to cross-reference anything you find on her versus what we have under the name Katherine Peirce or Katerina Petrova." He kept his eyes on the screens, while at the same time listening to the audio commentary behind him. If they couldn't get her to talk, they at least needed real evidence, that would hold up in a court of law. There was no way he was accepting anything less than the electric chair.

* * *

Elena finished not knowing if Stefan believed her or not. He had asked her questions now and then, but apart from that it was more her entire life story than it was an interrogation.

Stefan opened a file in front of him that he kept close during their talk. He took a glossy A4 photo and slid it across the table towards her. It was a photo of her and another man. No not her.

"Is this Katherine?"

"Yes"

The girl in the photo had her hand wrapped around the mans bicep. She had her head tilted up smiling at him. Elena wondered if this was Elijah. She passed the photo back to Stefan. He slid a couple more her way. Those faces were more familiar. Faces she had seen in newspapers and on TV. Politicians. She told Stefan as much. He slid a couple more glossy photo's her way. The same politicians, only this time their faces , burnt, and too pale. Had Katherine done this? She pushed the pictures back to Stefan unable to continue looking at the grotesque pictures. Why would a person do this?

She opened her mouth but, couldn't find the words. Stefan was looking at her waiting for an explanation.

The door creaked open, and the man who was the first to interrogate her walked. She froze, sweat running down her back but, he ignored her. Damon looked straight at Stefan.

"We got something."

* * *

Niklaus Michelson slumped in his comfortable leather chair, taking a swing of his whiskey. He enjoyed the taste of the well needed drink as it slid down his throat, hitting him in just the right spot. The television was on, the local news playing. He watched tiredly as the young eager blond reported.

"…_no evidence on the explosion that killed sixteen Parliament members and injured eight. Sources say that the attack could have well been an act of terrorism. Government officials have yet to neither confirm nor deny any of these allegations…" _

His phone rang, and he muted the television to answer it. "Yes."

"_**Sir, there are two men here to see you. Named Damon Salvatore and Ste-**_"

"Let them in." He glanced at his watch wondering what now. The only time he and Mr Salvatore had met was when he offered him the job, along with a very loaded of their meetings were via the phone and all documentation faxed or emailed to him.

It was late and he was beat. He had a shitload on his plate and there was really no place for more.

He nodded at the two men, inviting them to take a seat. Damon passed him a small document file.

"You want to take a look at this." The dark-haired man spoke. Klaus skimmed through the contents.

"What is this?" Both man glanced at each other.

Finally Stefan spoke.

"It a blood sample and fingerprint we took off the girl. It's says that she's not Katherine." What? Klaus looked at the picture of the girl.

"No, that's definitely her." He'd recognise that face anywhere. "It's forged."

"It's not" Damon spoke. "We took the print off Her and Elijah's apartment. We had Katherine's blood sample and it does not match this girls. It two different prints. Birth certificate, license, mortgage can be forged, but not DNA "

"So what then, An identical twin?" The English man scoffed. "How do you explain what to me seems like a very fucking likely resemblance?"

"Plastic surgery, maybe" Stefan suggested. Klaus frowned not knowing if the younger man was joking or not.

"The apartment must have been contaminated. There were a mix-up with the prints. Find out what happened. I pay you a shitload of money to find Katerina Petrova and make her talk." He got up from his chair unable to sit still. "We have an armed terrorist, who quite possibly have multiple accomplices. I choose you because you're the best and you're discreet." The FBI, homeland security and every badge in this country is looking for this woman and Klaus paid money to get to her first. His hand tightened around his glass, he tilted his head back, downing the rest of his whiskey.

God help him he would make Katerina Petrova. And after, for Elijah the bitch will hang.

* * *

Please, Please, Review Tell me what parts you liked and why? Is it moving too slowly? What do you expect? Suggestions… What you think should happen? What you think will happen?

Reviews are love, and as addictive as crack.

Xx Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3- Explosions

**Hiya,**

**So yeah I'm late with this update. But this time I had good reason for my impromptu hiatus. It's my First year at Uni and my first set of exam came up, so I cut myself off from all distractions to study. But am back, and I hope you enjoy and understand :)**

**As usual feel free to review.**

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**Chapter Three: Explosive **

"So what happens now?" Stefan asked his colleague and long-time friend.

Damon shrugged absent-mindedly. From the tension in his shoulder it was obvious that he was deep in thought. "What happens to the girl Damon?" Silence lingered for so long that Stefan thought the question would remain unanswered.

"We do as we're paid." Damon stated. Stefan nodded; there really wasn't anything more they could do.

The elevator door opened. They went their separate ways to catch the few hours of sleep they could before they had to delve back into the case. Stefan couldn't help feeling as though something was amiss. The facts simply didn't line up. His instinct told him that they we're missing something, something big, something crucial.

* * *

"You know what to do." John ordered over the phone, as he turned away from the glaring sunlight. At the moment one of his men, Tyler Lockwood was parked outside an ordinary looking suburban Virginian household. Lockwood's job was to discreetly observing the house that Katerina was before hiding in, and extracted from.

"What about the boy?" Lockwood asked.

"Bring him in alive." John pressed the end call button before slipping the phone in the inside pocket of his jacket. With long confident strides he entered the building and after a quick talk with a few people and he found himself escorted to the nearest interrogation room. John had to wait a total of twenty minutes before someone was finally sent to him. It had been awhile since he had to wait on others. No one who knew who he was would ever dare make him wait. Still he waited, patiently finishing his cup of coffee.

It was a young blond woman in her mid-twenties who walked in to question him. She shut the door behind her on her way in before calmly sitting down opposite him. He wondered if she would be as calm if she knew who she was interrogating, most likely not. It took a moment for John to place her. Alexis, better known as Lexi Branson, hired personally by Damon Salvatore. She was good with weapons, and hand to hand combat, had training in medicine, and trained in questionable methods of interrogation. The last part intrigued him; he enjoyed people with special talents.

"I've been told you have information you would like to share." The blond stated waiting for him to elaborate. She had her arms crossed on the table in front of her looking comfortable and in her element, for now.

He sent her an amused smile, the same kind a father would to a small child. Lexi tapped her foot impatiently. Cocking her head slightly to the side, no doubt thinking of all the more pressing things she had to take care of. John chuckled quietly and Lexi's mouth set in a firm line. "Look I don't have time for this-"

"I hear you've found the Petrova girl." He cut right to the chase. The young woman in front of him automatically sat up straighter.

"And where did you hear that from?" She set her poker face in place, now more interested in their interview. John didn't answer. "You didn't give a name."

"I'm afraid dead men don't have names." Lexi rolled her eyes at the theatrics. It was not uncommon for informants not to want to give out personal information. Bonnie will just do a quick search later.

"Okay, John Doe. You said that you had information." Lexi probed as she silently paged Stefan. There were few people who knew about Katarina Petrova and even fewer knew about her capture.

"Yes, and it's... _explosive_ to say the least."

* * *

"Just relax." Elena watched the needle draw blood from her vein. "And all done." The tall brunette woman sent her a reassuring smile.

Doctor Meredith Fell had run every possible test on her. What for, Elena had no idea. Her brown eyes flickered to Fell's desk were Damon Salvatore was sitting impossibly still, ice blue eyes watching them carefully. Meredith noticing how on edge his presence was making her gave Elena a reassuring pat on the arm. "Don't worry you'll be out of here sooner than you think." Elena nodded politely, thankful for the kind though untrue words.

Meredith's phone beeped again, and she went to answer the text. In her short time in this office slash med lab Elena had learnt that the older brunette was one of those annoying people who automatically went to check her phone every five minutes. Elena watched the Doctor as she dropped the phone back into her lab coat. Meredith pushed up the sleeves finally allowing Elena a proper look of the tattoo on the back of her wrist.

"You like?" Meredith asked noticing her starring.

"Yeah, it's nice; I mean am not really a tattoo person."

"No. Me neither, but this one is special." Meredith smiled leaning in as though conspiring. "It means family" She confessed, thrusting her skinny wrist forward so that Elena got a better look at the inked symbol.

* * *

"How's the boyfriend? Lee was it" John asked. It was power play on his part. "Five years and he still hasn't popped the question. Should you be worried?" To her credit Lexi took it well, simply shrugging off the question.

"He's fine."

John hummed contentedly. That sinister smile painted on his face. He had the upper hand here. He had eyes and ears everywhere, his people walked among them without them even knowing. Moles, People they called friends and colleagues, people they shared drinks and celebrated birthdays with.

"Why are we here?" Lexi asked.

"If I am to be completely honest, it's about family. Am soft at heart"

"I think we're done here." She stood up, deciding that they were wasting time. Lexi was tired of guessing games, and half smiles of some joke she wasn't in on.

"Are you sure you don't want to hear what I have to say." John called just as her hand landed on the doorknob. A moment's hesitation as she decided whether to open the door and leave, or to listen to what he had to say. She turned sharply on her heel, closing the gap between them leaning over the table to tower above him in trying to gain back authority.

"DO you have any useful information?" John pushed himself up, leaning far closer to her than she was comfortable.

"You have two minutes."

"Two minutes till what?" She growled. Another private, knowing smile.

"Till the bomb goes off."

* * *

Damon got up from the doctors leather chair as soon as the fire alarm went off. Most workplace would ignore the alarm and assume it was a drill or an accident. But, in a control environment such as his there were no accidents. And he would know of any drill. He closed the distance between him and their VIP unsure of what was going on, but knowing he didn't want her too far from him when it happened.

"Is something wrong?" She asked as he wrapped his fingers securely around her forearm, his other hand went to his gun tucked in the back of his belt.

A couple of seconds and nothing happened, he let go of her arms signalling Fell to keep an eye on her. That's when the ground trembled, throwing them off their feet. The windows shattered with impact as something exploded, glass flew everywhere. An unexpected gravitas force pushed all of them backwards. Damon slammed into a wall losing sight of the girl.

Elena flew in a different direction, the back of her head hitting on of the shelves with a sickening thud. When her eyes opened, she almost couldn't recognise that it was the same room she'd be in a second ago. Her ears where ringing. She blinked slowly, trying to stop the room from spinning, trying to make sense of things. She couldn't make out where Damon was. Instead there was Meredith's concerned face looming above her.


End file.
